It is Spring & World Frog Day + 1

March 21, 2010

It is cloudy over the vineyards of Glenora and along the shores of Seneca as we greet the first full day of Spring 2010. Our temperature is 33 degrees and the wind is from the east at 1 mile per hour.

In the vineyards—still pruning and pulling brush. Vineyard Manager Chris did hook up the brush chopper (the tool used to grind up the canes that are pruned from the vines) and give it a test run in the asparagus patch grinding up last year’s deceased stalks. He plans to start chopping the grape brush as soon as the ground either freezes up or dries up. The warmer weather of this past week and forecast for more of the same for the coming week is making us a bit nervous—to warm, to long, to early. We have had reports from our maple syrup farmer friends that the warm weather has wreaked havoc with their season, it all likely hood it is over with only about a half of a crop gathered.

It was a white wine bottling week at both Glenora and Knapp this past week. The Knapp team bottled 300 cases of their 2009 Riesling and the Glenora Team did a light run of 2009 Pinot Blanc. The Glenora team is now bottling smaller lots of wine in preparation for a new label roll out that is scheduled to take place in June. The winemaking and production teams are carefully monitoring sales so that when the new labels roll out the inventory of the wines with the current label will be very low—a real balancing act.

This past week was busy and exciting for the editor as he was being courted by the folks located at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. As the editor’s view on the health care issue is contrary to those living at 1600 various incentives were offered to change his opinion. Some included funding for a new grape harvester, a trip to New Zealand, and the opportunity to be the official wine steward at 1600. However, those offers were refused and then more opportunities were presented—to be the new US Grape and Wine Czar (czars have almost cabinet level status but do not have to be approved by Congress, which is extremely helpful for those with ethics issues-but not one for the editor) and Glenora’s finest being named the official wine of Air Force One. However holding fast to convictions those offers were refused—now if the offer comes to be King of the World—oops forgot that role has already been assumed!

The work on the Harvest Lounge at Veraisons was wrapped up this week. Our hats are off to the Bill Spotts construction team. In 30 days they transformed an area that we could never quite fully utilize into a gorgeous new lounge—and it was done with more than one change order being given to them (like a couple of walls and design changes for the wine and glass display area). This was done while daily restaurant operations were being conducted; special events taking place such as a wedding, pasta nights, Ladies Night out, and others. It should also be noted that all of the wood work in the Harvest Lounge was custom built by the Spotts Team. They are a great group to work with—perhaps we should look at the Spa project.

Winemaker Steve’s D’s wine appreciation class, held last Tuesday evening was well attended. Steve puts a lot of time and effort into the programs consequently they are very informative, as well as enjoyable – and they are open to the public www.glenora.com for more information

Pi—Lots of responses to last week’s question of “what is the value of Pi?” Sarah Hassler provided the only correct response--the exact numerical value of Pi is impossible to determine as Pi is irrational. Sarah is now the proud owner of a case of 2002 Brut—we just have to find her. And, we will use her response when the government (TTB—Tax and Trade Bureau) comes to measure the accuracy of our wine tanks!

Last evening Chef John and his Team presented Knapp’s first Wine Dinner of the Spring Season—the dinner started only five hours after the sun marked the vernal equinox. The dinner titled “Savor the Flavors of the World” featured 5 courses each from a different area or country of the world—Middle East, Asian, South American, French, and Italian. Each course was also paired from wines from Glenora, Zugibe and Knapp. While each course was unique, the desert course was spectacular not only in its taste by in its presentation—A Tiramisu tower in a pool of chocolate sabayon sauce and espresso gelato. Also,a special thanks to the Zugibe culinary arts team of Fred, Brendan, and Sean for their assistance in preparing and serving the dinner. It should be noted that the dinner had been sold out for over two weeks with people still trying to make reservations yesterday. These dinners will be held on an almost monthly basis—info on upcoming dinners  www.knappwine.com .

Thought for the Week:  Words/Deeds  -   A thousand words will not leave so deep an impression as one deed.

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